POSTS WITH TAG: afro-latina beauty

I'll never forget the first time i heard about BB creams. I'm a beauty junkie by nature, so of course I immediately fell for all the hype. A tinted moisturizer that does it all from providing natural-looking coverage to evening out your complexion and even fading manchas? Sounds like a beauty miracle to me! I couldn't wait to try one, that is until I discovered that most of these so-called "magical" formulas only come in like two or three shades. Um, so what about us brown-skinned Latinas?

I'm not going to lie, I wasn't always a fan of blush. I guess I figured my skin is naturally dark and tan, why would I even need to use blush? But all it took was one makeup artist swiping on the perfect peachy pink shade on to my cheeks for me to realize that blush really is a Latina's best friend, it doesn't matter your skin tone. The trick is finding the shade that works best for your complexion!

If you were blessed with a medium or dark complexion, then you know that's it's not always easy finding makeup for your darker skin tone. In fact, it wasn't until after college that I really started buying makeup. Before that I would just line my eyes with eyeliner and add a few coats to my lashes--that was it! Finding a foundation that perfectly matched my tan/caramel-y skin tone seemed impossible and I didn't even know where to start when it came to lipsticks, eyeshadows, and blushes.

I love seeing Afro-Latinas embrace their coily/curly hair. I feel like I'm seeing more and more women going natural these days, but because our culture is often so unsupportive there aren't a lot of places to get information on how to take care of those beautiful locks. The same even applies for Latinas who like to relax their hair. Because Afro-Latina hair tends to be drier than most textures, it's super important to keep it healthy and moisturized at all times!

February is officially Black History Month and here at MamásLatinas we can't think of a better way to celebrate than with these inspiring Afro-Latina celebrities who also happen to be kick-ass mamis!

Each one of these women have proven themselves to be power-houses and definitely the kind of moms that I hope all little girls have to look up to. From incredibly talented singer Mariah Carey to actress Gina Torres to journalist Soledad O'Brien to fashion designer Nicole Richie and many more in between, check out these 9 Afro-Latina mamis who absolutely RULE.

It's always a challenge for me to keep my curly hair healthy and soft during the harsh winter months. The cold, dry climate leaves my curls frizzy, dry, and many times lifeless. Keep in mind curly hair is naturally dry to begin with. The trick is to keep your tresses moisturized, so they always look healthy and hydrated regardless of the weather. I've compiled a few easy tricks and tips, below, to help you protect your locks all winter long.

If you have read any of the previous beauty posts I've written, you're probably used to me ranting about how hard it is to find foundation and other makeup for us tan sisters! This week, I took on the task of finding the perfect foundation, which was harder than I thought it would be. The finalists came down to one fancy pants foundation from a brand I've come to know and love, and one super affordable drugstore variety that can be found far and wide throughout the U.S.

I LOVE makeup, but I'm not one of those girls who cakes on a whole new face every morning. I'm actually of the opinion that perfect makeup should basically make you look really fresh faced, as if you just naturally rolled out of bed looking divine! We all wish, right?

This is part of the reason I was so excited about trying out these new BB creams. Last spring, when these all-in-one formulas started gaining traction, I sort of felt like they were too good to be true. I mean, come on--it's sort of hard to swallow that one product would ever be able to smooth out my skin, minimize pores, cover blemishes and dark circles AND moisturize and protect my delicate facial skin from the sun.

The history of African descendants in Colombia--as in much of Latin America is wrought wit conflict and much pain. Slavery wasn't abolished until 1851, and even though Afro-Colombians participated at every level of government and were key in Colombia's fight for freedom against the Spanish, the government still encouraged "whitening" policies to rid citizens of any trace of African or Native descent among citizens--an action that today still colors the attitudes and prejudices of many Colombians (and sadly, this is seen through all of Latin America).

That's why this hair contest, held in the city of Cali, makes me feel a bit encouraged about my country's efforts to celebrate and encourage pride in our African roots.

During the London 2012 Olympics, Gabby Douglas became the first African-American and first woman of color to win a gold medal in the Women's gymnastics individual all-around competition. With the bubbly 16-year-old's great accomplishment, why are people focusing on her hair? The medalist doesn't seem to get the big deal either, responding that comments about her hair are "stupid" and "crazy".